QPR’S chairman Tony Fernandes took a bucket of ice over the head in the morning and Harry Redknapp absorbed a humiliating slap across the face in the night. Some of their players might yet land a worse treatment still.

That certainly seemed the logical assumption as Redknapp vented his anger after the game.

Make no mistake, this competition was not his burning priority. That much was obvious from the fact he made nine changes to his starting line-up from the Tottenham fixture at the weekend, when QPR lost their second Premier League match in two.

VIDEO Scroll down for Harry Redknapp on QPR's desperate need for new players

Set piece: Burton Albion's Adam McGurk (right) puts his side ahead in the 77th minute

That'll do: Burton players celebrate McGurk's 77th minute strike

Battle: Adel Taarabt keeps the ball under pressure from George Taft (right) of Burton

But no top-flight manager wants to see his side lose to a League Two club; no player wants to hear that they might be considered ‘lucky’ to be at a Premier League club, as per Redknapp’s post-match message.

Yet the reality is this was an upset in name only. By deeds, Burton deserved to win, long before Adam McGurk scored a brilliant free-kick in the 77th minute.

Encouragement will be in short supply for QPR now, except arguably for the inclusion and sporadic bursts from Adel Taarabt, back at the club and making his first start in 16 months.

For the rest of them, Redknapp had only anger. He said: ‘I don’t regret it (his selection). We have a massive game again on Saturday (against Sunderland). You give lads a chance to play and obviously there are an awful lot of lads at Premier League clubs who are lucky to be there.’

He added: ‘We gave the lads who haven’t been playing an opportunity to show what they can and they showed me what they can do. It wasn’t an awful lot.

‘It was only Taarabt who did himself any good. There weren’t too many other pluses.’

Burton manager Gary Rowett said: ‘It was absolutely amazing, they were brilliant in everything they did. I thought we deserved it.

‘Harry Redknapp's priority is the Premier League but for a small club like ourselves there is always an opportunity if they rest players.’

Burton were excellent from the start. Adam McGurk hit a volley on the turn that dipped dangerously in front of Brian Murphy.

Not looking good: Matt Phillips (left) and Taarabt wait to restart after going 1-0 down

The goalkeeper saved, but was beaten after six minutes when Alex MacDonald found space on the left and drilled low across goal. The shot went past Murphy and narrowly wide.

Taarabt repeatedly looked for openings in retaliation, surging into a few gaps that existed and charging anyway when they didn’t. If nothing else, he gets people excited, even when he is flapping his arm at team-mates who, for one reason or another, have not lived up to his expectations. His shot that skidded wide was QPR’s only decent effort of the first 20 minutes.

Burton, meanwhile, were increasing the pressure. Dominic Knowles shot straight at Murphy from close range – a superb chance – and then MacDonald shot wide. Would the misses prove costly?

Tackle: Richard Dunne attempts to take the ball away from Dominic Knowles during a goalless first half

Strength: Karl Henry fends off Matty Palmer during the Capital One Cup second round clash

It looked that way in the 22nd minute when Junior Hoilett rattled a shot against the bar, but again the hosts surged on the half hour when MacDonald clattered his way through a challenge and drew a good save from Murphy.

QPR responded with a perfect floated pass to Junior Hoilett, who lobbed the defender and then attempted to lob Jon McLaughlin, but the shot landed on the roof of the net. It would have been a special goal.

Marcus Harness rounded off a frantic first half with a huge hit that deflected wide and McGurk opened the second half with a header over the bar. QPR’s agitation on the pitch and their bench was obvious. Joe Jordan, Redknapp’s coach and touchline enforcer, was fuming and at one point took it out on Gary Rowett, the Burton manager. Rowett backed away.

The second half was not nearly so frantic or exciting. There were openings and tussles, but not much of either. Taarabt’s burst all but dried up. Then Richard Dunne clattered Harness and McGurk nailed the free-kick from 20 yards. It was what both sides deserved.

Pace: Former Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips looks to get away from Alex MacDonald